"I saw a leaflet advertising these sessions and really wanted to get involved.

"I played football when I was younger and you really want to run at first. But I eventually got used to it."

The players meet for an hour once a week. They spent around ten minutes doing warming up exercises before embarking on a match.

George Reynolds, 65, a retired interpreter from Chilwell, also enjoys the sessions.

He said: "They're very enjoyable. And great for the social side.

"I like keeping fit but I had to give up long distance running because I had knee problems.

"That's when I heard about this and found it ideal. It was strange at first, not being able to run around in a football match. But I got used to it soon enough."

Councillor Richard Robinson, at Broxtowe Borough Council, was part of the group which helped set up the sessions, which run from 2pm to 3pm on Wednesdays

He said: "Staying active is important at any age, but especially so for older adults as exercising regular can help to prevent some medical conditions and help to reduce the risk of suffering a stroke. The sessions have proven popular."